Tomorrow’s Nuclear Reactors Are Closer Than You Think

new generation of innovators is pioneering the future of nuclear energy in partnership with our National Labs. Citizens and policymakers leading the global transition to a low-carbon economy are focusing efforts on developing — and building — advanced nuclear reactors. To support these efforts, the Department of Energy is working to forge key partnerships and support a culture of nuclear innovation driven by this new generation of scientists, university researchers, entrepreneurs and investors.

“Nobody told today’s students that nuclear innovation is supposed to be slow. They chose nuclear because they want to save the world.” – Dr. Rachel Slaybaugh

The current nuclear reactor fleet is the low-carbon workhorse of the electricity world. In 2014, nuclear power generated about 60 percent of the carbon-free electricity in the United States. Today’s light-water reactor designs provide a safe, effective and affordable bridge to new nuclear reactor technologies — promising increased flexibility and the ability to match electricity generation with demand.